The World Falls Down
by Tekko
Summary: Jareth watched her intently, enraptured, falling deeper in love with each passing day. She would be his. Jareth Sarah, one-sided romance, heartbreak


**Author's Notes:** ...So anyone who's gone through my stories list knows that het is NOT my usual route XD This was written for a contest on Gaia (and won first place! _) and I'm rather fond of it, so I've decided to share *^__^*

**Warnings:** None, really. Uh. Heartbreak? Mention of goblins? Jareth's being a creeper?!?

**Other:** I got the Jim Henson box set for Boxing Day shopping~:D Tis' full of win.

**The World Falls Down**

Jareth first noticed her whilst sitting near the Twisted Oak.

It was a spot that he often came to brood, away from everyone and everything that could persist their services upon him. The goblins and other creatures were taught to fear the place where the worlds connected unless under explicit orders from the Goblin King and that in its self was rare. He liked his privacy as much as he liked having the hideous creatures at his beck and call, to use and abuse as he saw fit.

The high, drifting voice was faint just caught the Goblin King's attention, head tilting and mass of blond strands swaying at the motion. Most humans couldn't find their way to the Labyrinth without a guide though the voice wasn't growing closer, simply rising and falling in pitch.

Curious, Jareth rose from his seat, placing a hand on the tree. "To see, concealed." It opened for him and the king walked through, looking around carefully. He was in a forest of much better quality than any of the labyrinth, grass full and green and trees lush with leaves. Not far from the tree line was an open area, land gently rolling in shallow slopes dotted with white flowers and leading to a river. All was ignored but for the creature walking slowly across the field, attention wholly on the book between small fingers.

"…face the king is a terrific yet horrible fate, his beauty only just surpassing his cruelty." The owner of a voice was female, that much Jareth was certain, small form clad in a cream colored dress with white lace along the hem and sleeves. She was a child - then again, even the eldest human was a child when compared to the Goblin King - possibly no older than nine or ten. Her hair was dark and arms pale, face hidden away behind the bound pages. "His eyes like black ice and hair like woven sun. Many try but fail to win his affections as he had given up most hope of finding the one to rule his kingdom with."

Crouching down Jareth placed a hand against a nearby tree for a moment as he settled, cloak billowing around him. The girl was unaware of her being watched; was unaware of her surroundings as she was in the moment of the story, dark eyes moving carefully over each word as so not to miss anything.

"Though his people were loyal and his kingdom great, there was still loneliness buried within the Goblin King's heart." Her words shocked Jareth to the core, his breath hitching in surprise. Was she a sorcerer of some kind? A witch who's power could see into the hearts of those near her?

"It was as empty and barren as the driest of deserts and caused an ache within him that was filled with loathing. Of his people, of his land and eventually, of himself."

Jareth was leaning forward, a gloved hand pressed against the side of the tree used to help him down to keep from overbalancing. _Is this true?_ It was true that he was beginning to feel more short-tempered with his servants, snapping at them and dealing punishments when unnecessary. The words - her words - were they of the future?

"But there is still hope for the Goblin King," she continued and Jareth waited with baited breath. "There was a girl not of his world that awaited his call, hoping that one da-"

"Sarah!"

"Oh!" Starting such that the book slipped from her grasp Jareth saw wide, dark eyes and flushed cheeks before the girl dropped to retrieve the book, turning away to run towards the voice. "Coming dad!"

Hissing between clenched teeth Jareth rose quickly to his feet, watching the girl go. She was running towards an older man, throwing thin arms around him before squealing with laugher as she was taken up into a spinning hug. The Goblin King turned away, heading back towards the tree between-worlds, slipping back into the land of the Labyrinth without a backwards glance.

Weeks went by before Jareth got a chance to slip away from his throne again, making his way back to the Twisted Oak. He was sure that she wouldn't be there but he couldn't forget the young yet strong voice from the forest, seeming to know his deepest thoughts and fears.

Once in the forest Jareth was disappointed to find out that he was right. The girl - Sarah - wasn't there and probably never would be. She had probably just been passing through and wondered off while hitting a rest stop with her parents.

Disappointment heavy Jareth gave a final look around before turning away, planning to head back. He was halfway through when the sound of light panting and footsteps upon earth drew his attention, turning back to look.

"So she's back." The words were a soft murmur and it was unsettling how pleased he was to see her again. She was wearing a dress made of baby and dark blues, a blue silk ribbon tying her dark strands back.

Sarah seemed unconcerned about the condition of the lovely dress as she found a good spot to plop down in, squirming around to find a comfortable place for a moment before turning to the book in hand. It was the same one from before, looking a little bit worn from the first time Jareth had seen it and he moved to get comfortable as well, settling down on his cloak to listen.

"The Labyrinth is a mess of twists and turns as well as a hideaway of traps and beasts of all kinds, making it a dangerous place to enter. Unknowing this the girl entered, unknowing of what she would find…"

Jareth sat hidden away by the line of trees, unheeding of the hours that begun to slip away.

Years flew by and Jareth continue to watch Sarah grow from a bright-eyed little girl to a quick-witted woman. She continued to go to the open field and though not as often as she had in her youth with just as much enthusiasm, always with the same book. Jareth had heard the story through again and again but he continued to seek Sarah out, sitting and watching as she reenacted parts from the book and quoted most of it by heart.

One day, though, she came without it.

Running through the field the girl dropped down near where she used to sit and read, fists banging the earth angrily. "Why? Why?! Why do he have to go and marry that - that _woman_!"

Jareth had long ago learned of her patterns for coming to the field and was settled in his spot though Sarah's entrance was a cause for alarm, dark eyes concerned. He knew that Sarah's mother had passed some time ago and that her father more recently begun to see a woman of interest. They hadn't been courting long, though, in his opinion, only a year in. Jareth himself had been working on Sarah for some four years now.

"It isn't fair! She isn't part of us! She'll never be like M-mom!" The girl was obviously angry but shouting through tears, clawing at the earth on her hands and knees. "I won't agree to it! I won't! I won't!"

It was some time before the shouting turned to yelling and the yelling turned to growling and the growling to mutters before the girl finally quieted, crumpled on the ground in exhaustion. Tears streaked her cheeks but they had stopped running, her eyes closed and breathing even.

After several moments Jareth stepped out from behind the protective line of trees, breeze blowing strands of gold into his eyes though he didn't pull his gaze away from the sleeping girl. Moving quietly across the field to close the distance between them Jareth kneeled, examining. He would often sit in the windowsill of her bedroom window and watch as she slept but never had he gone so close before, close enough to count each lash of her eye and feel the air from each breath being drawn in.

He hovered for a moment before leaning down, pressing his forehead against her temple as his lips moved to her ear. "Sarah." His voice was quiet with a power to it and she responded with a sleepy hum, chest rising and falling with breath. "I shall give you something that no other has. The power to summon me and my servants to your aid. Should anything trouble you, anything at all, call and I shall answer."

The sleeping girl sighed in response, head tilting to the side as he drew back. Dark lashes fluttered to revealed onyx pools, still unfocused with sleep. "What…"

"Shh, Sarah. This is only a dream." Jareth placed a hand gently on hers to stroke her hair. "Go back to sleep."

"Mmm…" The lashes fluttered once again and soon the girl was asleep once more, Jareth magic given a gentle nudge to allow her to drift off. Hovering a moment he allowed himself to lean down and brush a light, tender kiss to her forehead before rising, booted feet carrying him back to his world. He would have some of his people watch over her as well as The Watcher but wouldn't return to the forest as religiously as he had been. Sarah was in no danger and could summon him now and when that day came…

Then it would begin.

It was years later before Jareth felt a peculiar sensation.

It was like an insistent tugging, a pressure in the middle of his chest that he couldn't quite place. It wasn't until his goblins returned with a human child that he rose to his feet, using his magic to go to Sarah's window. Surely she knew of his power now and his gift to her would be received with adoration.

What actually happened was quite unexpected.

"Sarah, don't defy me," Jareth said - ordered, really - as he tossed the crystal turned snake at the girl's neck. He had no intention of harming her but it was obvious she needed to be taught her place. He had done so much - sacrificed _so much_ for this child and yet she didn't seem to appreciate a thing he'd done. "You're not match for me, Sarah."

Her dark eyes were close to tears, dark orbs seeming to ripple like an ocean of night and Jareth felt his heart fall even more.

"But I have to have my brother back!"

It was that will, that strong spirit that Jareth wished to have for his own. Considering for a hair's breath he came to a decision. He would take her to the Goblin City and set her on her quest. Thirteen hours wouldn't be nearly enough time on her own to solve the Labyrinth and when that time came he would have not only a new goblin at his beck and call, but a Queen. It would mean the end of her human life as she knew it and she wouldn't be developed to her full potential but the girl was set.

"Such a pity_…"_

The Goblin King watched from his throne as the human girl made her way through the Labyrinth.

He'd given her a choice - one that meant the difference of staying forever in the land of the Labyrinth or continuing to live her fantasy life out in the land of mortals. She may have thought that it was all to save her brother but Jareth knew that _she_ knew, deep down inside she was doing it all for _them_. The Goblin King would help Sarah to realize that.

Jareth watched as she encountered the citizens of his Labyrinth, pleased when his spy set her off. He was less pleased, however, to see that Hoggle was not setting her back but _helping_ her through the twisting maze!

"Enough is enough," the king growled as he rose to his feet, dropping the baby (Jareth Junior would be quite fitting for a name and was much better than Toby, he thought) at one of his servants before stalking through the halls. He had not wanted to resort to such a thing but Jareth was given no choice in the matter. The power of the crystal and shock of being jolted from its seductive embrace could quite possibly scar the girl in a irreversible way. He would have deal with that if it came to pass.

Hoggle just needed to give her the peach.

"That goblin can be useful when he puts his mind to it," Jareth murmured to himself as he watched Sarah sink down, using the moment of weakness to send in his influence. It was easy enough to manipulate her dreams; Jareth had done it many times before, putting himself into Sarah's fantasies and inserting himself into her life in a subtle way. Soon the darkness was morphed into a grand ballroom, goblins dressed in fine silks and velvets with masks of their true selves over their human glamour. It was a complex mockery of both of their worlds and Jareth watched as Sarah - pale, doe-eyed, beautiful _Sarah_ - made her way around the dancing forms.

Jareth followed her movement through the twirling, dancing forms, allowing her glimpses of him as they performed an elaborate dance between cat and mouse. Eventually the blonde king could take no more and held still, waiting until she took notice of him to catch her gaze with his own.

_She is mine, now._

Gliding past the two goblins who were pressed against either side of him Jareth reached out with an open palm, Sarah's own falling into his grasp. _Like a glove._ Other hand moving to her waist she fell into his arms just as they fell into step, moving together as if made for each other.

Holding her gaze Jareth felt something that he hadn't in quite a while. There was a warmth, piercing the edges of his icy heart and slowly sinking through. And for her - for his Sarah - Jareth sang.

_As the pain sweeps through,Makes no sense for thrill is 't too much fun at all,But I'll be there for the world falls down…._

_Soon, it will be thirteen o'clock,_ Jareth mused, leading the doe-eyed girl on. _And I will have a new goblin for my hoard, as well as a bride._

Sarah broke his gaze but the king paid no heed; she was in his arms now, where the magic of her dreams was strongest. The slightest lit of a smirk tugged at Jareth's lips as he heard the clock chime, starting to pull her closer-

Sarah pulled away.

It was the shock of the situation more than anything that made the Goblin King's grip go slack, dark eyes flashing. She was leaving, shoving her way through his people who had gathered and he could only watch, stepping back as she ran, surrounded by his people.

Slipping out of the illusion as the dream world was shattered Jareth sat on the ledge of a windowsill of his castle, stunned. "She is stronger than I thought," he murmured to himself, unable to pull his eyes away as she fell into the junkyard. Any other time after Sarah had entered the labyrinth he wouldn't have hesitating in saying she would be kept there, in a recreation of her old room, until time ran out. Now, though…

"Harrid!"

The small, hair-covered goblin was quick to appear, cowering low beside the king. "Y-yes, my lord?"

Rising to his feet Jareth kept his gaze on the wandering girl until she was shown to her 'room.' "Gather the guards and prepare for battle. Do what you wish with the others but don't harm the girl." Blonde hair seemed to cut through the air as Jareth turned to fix his right-hand goblin with a stern look. "Do you hear me? Should a single hair on that pretty little head be mused, ruffled or otherwise out of place, I will have all of your limbs decorating parts of the castle."

The little goblin gulped loudly before nodding, bowing several times in quick succession as he backpedaled out of the room. "Yes my lord, of course my lord! We shall leave her unharmed!

"See that you do," Jareth growled, waiting until the small figure scampered out of sight before getting a move on himself. He knew better than to underestimate Sarah and the friends she'd gathered now. It was time to move on to more drastic measures.

But first, he needed Toby.

_Why - why has it come to this?_

Sarah had made it further than anyone could have expected - through the puzzle that was the Labyrinth along with the dangers that lurked within, past his illusions and guards as well as her own desires. It was nearing the thirteenth hour though and Jareth knew it would only be mere moments before he had everything he could ever want.

"You've exhausted me from living up to your expectations. Isn't that enough?" Even as Sarah stood before him, strong, defiant and vibrating life his heart ached for her, a yearning that was etched into every cell of his being.

She begun to say the words.

A sense of panic begun to well up within the king, shifting away as she moved forward with a confidence he had yet to be faced with head-on. "Stop!" _Can't you see how I ache for you?_ Summoning a portion of his magic Jareth showed Sarah her dreams, her desires, all held within the palm of his hand. "Look what I'm offering you! Your dreams."

His quiet pleading seemed to have little effect, girl continuing forward. "And thy kingdom is great…"

Continuing to shift backwards Jareth tried again, making sure to keep her dreams within sight. "I ask for so little," he argued, hoping to make her see that _this was right._ "Just let me rule you - and you can have. _everything_ that you want."

She faltered.

_That's it, Sarah!_ "Just fear me; love me; do as I say and I will be your slave." Could she not see how sincere he was? Did Sarah not see the longing in his eyes, Jareth's need for her?

After a moment Sarah looked up, eyes wide, as if seeing him for the first time. Jareth felt a quiver of hope within him as she met his eyes. _Finally._

"You have no power over me."

The words were like a knife, cutting straight through the Goblin King's heart. Hope shattering like painted china as the clock begun to chime he threw it away - Sarah's dreams. They were nothing now, just a gateway back to her world.

He could hold her in the labyrinth no longer.

Jareth watched as Sarah returned home, baby brother in one piece and sleeping in his room. He watched as she returned to her own bedroom, sitting before her mirror to catch glimpses of his people who had aided her. He could not watch as they celebrated, turning away to head back into the castle.

As Jareth took his seat on his throne a familiar, hair-covered creature crept slowly up to the large seat, kneeling before him. "Y-your orders, my lord?"

The Goblin King sat, slouched to his left in his seat with an elbow resting on the chair's arm, fist holding up his head. The other arm of the grand chair had his right leg tossed over it, booted foot still and the other stretched out before him.

"My lord?"

"Leave them be," Jareth said in a low, defeated tone. "There's no point now."

Harrid stared up at the broken king for a long, quiet moment, sadness leaking onto his expression. "As you wish, my lord," he replied in an equally quiet tone before rising to his feet and leaving the room.

Jareth no longer leaves the castle.

It's rumored by the goblins who dwell within the castle walls that he never leaves the throne room, nor his chair. Those who can gather the courage to peek inside will see the blonde king slouched and stretched much like Harrid described him on that day years ago, dust-covered cobwebs hanging from his draped leg and hair. It's believed that the power of the labyrinth is what keeps him alive, the only sign of life being the slight rise and fall of his chest.

Once a year Jareth moves, just slightly, drawing enough magic to peek in at his lost love's life. He watches her for one day a year, day-dreaming little girl growing into a confident young woman than adult. Jareth watches as she grows close to one of the boys she has classes with, as they move in together, as they get married. Jareth continues to watch as Sarah has children of her own, playing with them and telling them stories of knights in shining armor and dragons and princesses.

She never tells them about the Goblin King.

Sometimes as Jareth watches Sarah and her new life his will drift off, seeing her as the young girl he held in his arms and danced with in her dreams. He never notices how year after year the layers of dust get thicker, the labyrinth growing more run-down with his lack of care. The Goblin King can only sit and watch and wish that things had gone differently, stuck in the past as his castle crumbles around him.

And so, he sits.


End file.
